--- title: "Help me with gnats!!! please 😭😭 I’ve tried everything i know.…" description: "Help me with gnats!!! please 😭😭 I’ve tried everything i know. Sticky traps, apple cider vinegar with dish soap, neem oil, and mosquito bits. they KEEP…" url: "https://getplanta.com/community/lKxUkhzRR_aIJD7o1QvtwQ/_jy7D_lvSv2zYqg0FaQWNg" community: "Pests, diseases and problems" author: "kiwi" published: "2024-05-15T21:43:56.547551Z" language: "en" image: "https://images.getplanta.com/v1/resize/aXUbQ-tjrJzPCyeiUDqE3fTCgLaEthGmhJslptkHRLg/2rQRK0pfRFCW5_TFAHSYNA.webp?size=large" --- [Community](https://getplanta.com/community.md) / [Pests, diseases and problems](https://getplanta.com/community/lKxUkhzRR_aIJD7o1QvtwQ.md) # Help me with gnats!!! please 😭😭 I’ve tried everything i know.… _Posted by kiwi on 2024-05-15_ Help me with gnats!!! please 😭😭 I’ve tried everything i know. Sticky traps, apple cider vinegar with dish soap, neem oil, and mosquito bits. they KEEP reproducing and they’re staring to attack my face it’s so annoying 🥲 how are you gonna infest my plants and then attack me ??😒 i’m so done with them. it’s gotten to the point that i’ve been sleeping at my boyfriends house because they are that irritating. if someone has something that’s really worked for them or any advice, i would reallyyyy appreciate it so much. ![Attachment 1 of 2](https://images.getplanta.com/v1/resize/aXUbQ-tjrJzPCyeiUDqE3fTCgLaEthGmhJslptkHRLg/2rQRK0pfRFCW5_TFAHSYNA.webp?size=large) ![Attachment 2 of 2](https://images.getplanta.com/v1/resize/aXUbQ-tjrJzPCyeiUDqE3fTCgLaEthGmhJslptkHRLg/fxwCwRTzSl6TCuu2iDv-fg.webp?size=large) ## 12 comments ### Alyssa commented on 2024-05-15 Ugh I’m so sorry, that sounds like a living nightmare and you can’t even enjoy your plants tbh. So my advice would be threefold: 1) I would repot all the plants, sounds arduous, but that’s probably a thorough way to help out your situation. Use better draining soil and pots with good drainage too. 2) Get those gnat zapper things that you plug into the wall. A lot of people have touted on here about how well they’ve worked. 3) You can try watering in some beneficial nematodes, they literally are microscopic and will go through your soil and eat all the eggs and juveniles in the soil. Hopefully that gives you some relief. Another more drastic measure would be to use systemic house plant pesticide, make sure to be careful with it and follow all the directions and dangers. #### kiwi replied on 2024-05-15 thank you so much !! i just ordered the plug ins, i’m gonna look into those nematodes!! my boyfriend will hopefully be available to help me repot like 30 plants tomorrow 🙏 #### Alyssa replied on 2024-05-15 Of course! Oh good, I’m sure those will help a lot. Yes! Definitely do, they are a good defense. That sounds like a plan, hope it all goes well!! #### MikeNeedsMorePlants replied on 2024-05-16 It looks like you've got a pretty big infestation, so I second repotting (in ADDITION to a pest treatment afterwards, like nematodes or bits). I like to lightly rinse down/spray my plant's roots with 4:1 ratio of water and diluted hydrogen peroxide (3%). Just know that repots and exposing roots to air can be a bit stressful for sensitive plants. I think a repot treatment is what might have killed my bird's nest fern, but damn it the risk is so worth it for these little buggers. I also like to take preventative measures for pest control. I keep my bags of soil in airtight plastic containers, and when I buy or recieve any new plants (even from friends/family) I quarantine and treat them for a month so I can ensure no fungus gnats spread to my healthy babies ### Josie's Jungle commented on 2024-05-15 I vote beneficial nemotodes. It took about 4 applications over 2 months, but they were eradicated. Keep up the other best practices though, like not over-watering, and keep the sticky traps out during the process (also a good barometer of how well the nemotodes are doing) and you'll do well for yourself. #### kiwi replied on 2024-05-15 thank you :’) i will definitely try them ### Planty28 commented on 2024-05-15 How were you using the mosquito bit? Because I’ve been using the dunks in my water for over a year and I never ever see flies! #### kiwi replied on 2024-05-15 i soaked them in water then watered my plants with the water! i feel they don’t help enough because some plants can’t be watered as much so the gnats just decide to lay eggs in the others 🥲 #### Mbplant replied on 2024-05-16 It sometimes takes up to a month for the reproductive cycle to be taken care of with mosquito bits and sticky traps. ### Mbplant commented on 2024-05-16 Have you tried the BT drops in your water? I’ve found a lot of success with those and sticky traps. The mosquito bits work-it just takes time. Beneficial bugs are very helpful too! ### Audrey commented on 2024-05-16 It’s not amazing for the plants because it will kill other good things in the soil but it’s quite effective to let the plants dry out quite a bit and then use a hydrogen peroxide and water mix (1/3 hydrogen peroxide) and water with that for a time or two. It kills the eggs that get laid in the soil ### Bella56 commented on 2024-05-16 Bottom water! The gnats lay eggs in the moist top soil, bottom watering keeps the top dry. Repotting may not help, some soils contain eggs and you’ll have the problem all over again plus different plants need different soil mixes so repotting would forever --- _Source: the Planta community (https://getplanta.com). Reading is open to everyone. To post, comment and like, get the Planta app: https://getplanta.com/download_